Quiz of the Day
Volunteering & Community
Sunday, 19 April 2026
National Volunteer Week begins — famous volunteers, charity records, community heroes
1. Which organisation, founded in 1863, is one of the world's largest volunteer networks?
- Doctors Without Borders
- Amnesty International
- UNICEF
- The Red Cross
The Red Cross was founded by Henry Dunant after witnessing the Battle of Solferino. It now has 192 national societies and about 14 million active volunteers worldwide.
2. What percentage of adults in the UK volunteer at least once a year?
- About 60%
- About 10%
- About 40%
- About 25%
Roughly a quarter of UK adults formally volunteer through organisations. The economic value of volunteering in the UK is estimated at over £50 billion per year.
3. Which US President established the Peace Corps in 1961?
- Richard Nixon
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Dwight Eisenhower
- John F. Kennedy
Kennedy challenged University of Michigan students to serve their country in developing nations. Over 240,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers in 143 countries since then.
4. What is the name of the annual event where millions of people worldwide pick up litter in their communities?
- Earth Sweep
- Clean Planet Initiative
- World Clean Up Day
- Global Cleanup Day
World Cleanup Day started in Estonia in 2008 when 50,000 people (4% of the population) cleaned up the entire country in just 5 hours. It's now the world's largest civic action, reaching 191 countries.
5. Which Nobel Peace Prize winner spent decades volunteering to help the poor in Calcutta?
- Malala Yousafzai
- Mother Teresa
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Desmond Tutu
Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950. By the time of her death in 1997, the organisation operated 610 missions in 123 countries, serving the poorest of the poor.
6. What is a 'community garden'?
- A shared plot of land cultivated by local residents
- A council-maintained park
- A botanical garden
- A private garden open on weekends
Community gardens have been shown to reduce crime rates, improve mental health, and increase property values in surrounding areas. During WWII, 'Victory Gardens' produced up to 40% of all vegetables consumed in the US.
7. Which online platform connects volunteers with causes and organisations worldwide?
- VolunteerMatch
- GoFundMe
- Change.org
- Kickstarter
VolunteerMatch has connected over 16 million volunteers with opportunities since 1998. Research shows that regular volunteers have a 27% higher chance of finding employment than non-volunteers.
8. What is the world's largest volunteer-run food relief programme?
- Feeding America
- Akshaya Patra Foundation
- The Trussell Trust
- World Food Programme
India's Akshaya Patra Foundation serves over 2 million school meals daily using a largely volunteer-driven model. It's the world's largest (non-government) midday meal programme.
9. What does the term 'voluntourism' mean?
- Being paid to volunteer
- Combining volunteer work with tourism travel
- Virtual volunteering
- Touring volunteer centres
Voluntourism is a growing but controversial industry. Critics argue that short-term, unskilled volunteers can sometimes do more harm than good — particularly in orphanage tourism, which has been linked to child exploitation.
10. Which famous annual event sees millions of people donating to charity shops for resale?
- Charity Week
- Red Nose Day
- Giving Tuesday
- Black Friday
Giving Tuesday, held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, raised over $3.1 billion in the US alone in 2023. It was created in 2012 as an antidote to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
11. How many hours of unpaid volunteer work does the average volunteer contribute per year in the UK?
- About 200 hours
- About 30 hours
- About 60 hours
- About 100 hours
Regular volunteers in the UK contribute an average of about 100 hours per year. Studies consistently show that volunteers report higher life satisfaction and lower rates of depression than non-volunteers.
12. Which organisation runs the largest youth volunteer programme in the world?
- Scouts
- Rotary International
- Habitat for Humanity
- UNICEF
The Scout movement, founded by Robert Baden-Powell in 1907, now has over 57 million members in 224 countries. It's the world's largest voluntary youth organisation.
13. What did volunteer 'Bletchley Park' codebreakers famously achieve during WWII?
- Cracked the Enigma code
- Built radar systems
- Mapped enemy positions
- Designed fighter planes
The Bletchley Park team, including Alan Turing, is estimated to have shortened WWII by 2-4 years and saved millions of lives. Many of the 10,000 workers were volunteer women from the WRNS.
14. What charity fundraising event involves people running, walking or crawling through mud and obstacles?
- Fun Run
- Colour Run
- Tough Mudder
- Parkrun
Tough Mudder events have raised millions for charity since 2010. The courses feature obstacles like ice baths, electric shocks, and mud pits. Over 5 million people have completed a Tough Mudder worldwide.
15. Which country has the highest rate of volunteering in the world?
- United States
- Netherlands
- Myanmar
- New Zealand
Myanmar consistently ranks highest in the World Giving Index for volunteering, with about 51% of the population regularly volunteering time. This is largely driven by Buddhist traditions of community service and monastery support.